Joseph matthias



(No Model.) Y i J. MATTHIAS.

IRONING BOARD.

No. 352,338. x PatentedNov. 9, 1886.

N. PETERS, Phul-Lil-hngrnpher Washngion. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEELCE.

JOSEPH MATTHIAS, NEV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO L. BOSIE MATTHIAS,

OF SAME PLAGE.

morenas-BOARD.

vSPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 352,338, dated November 9, 1886. Appnmnon fried December i4, 1885. sei-iai No. 185,674. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J osEPH MATTHIAS, residing in the city of New York, in the county f New York and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Ironing-Boards, of which the following isl a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making' a part of this specification.

My improvement relates to that class of ironing boards or tables which are capable of being folded together when not in use. so as to occupy a small space and admit of being set ont of the way.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like letters indicate like parts, Figure l is a side elevation of the board when in position for use, partly in section to show the automatic lock or catch for holding the legs extended. 2o Fig. 2 is a plan view of the board as it ap` pears when notin use, showing the legs folded against the under side of the board. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the latch or'locking device in the position it assumes when the legs are folded against the board. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are detailed views of the latch or locking device. Fig. 7 is a view of a modified construction of the end legs. My invention consists of an improved construction of an ironing board or table, made in the usual form, and supported by three legs, pivoted or otherwise fastened to the board at one end, so as to fold up against the under side of the board, and which may be provided with an automatic catch or locking device to hold the end legs in position when extended, so they cannot be foldedor turned under by accident and the board dropped on the Hoor.

The nature of my improvement will be best understood by reference to the drawings.

As is there seen, the board A is supported, when in use,by three legs, fastened to the board at one end and arranged to fold up or turn in the same direction against the under side of the board when the latter is not in use. Two of the legs, B B, extend, when opened, to the iioor from the end or head A of the board and' support that end. These legs are connected by the rod B, so as to move together,

5o and are placed farther apart at their lower end, where they rest on the licor. The third or middle ieg, o, which is longer than the other two, extends from the same end or head, A', lengthwise of the board and underneath the same toward the opposite end, A2, as shown in Fig. 1, and is provided with an iron brace, D, which is connected to the board by means of eyes at or near the end A?, and slides or moves in a slot in the leg. The board therefore rests or is supported at one end on the two legs B B, and at the other on the brace D and leg C, and the position of the legs and brace is such that the board is rendered rm and steady when in use and capable of resisting all the pressure likely to be put upon it.

In the construct-ion shown in the drawings the legs B B are securely fastened in the shaft or roller E, which is arranged to turn in the brackets or supports G, so that the legs can be turned or folded against the board when not in use. This shaftor roller is confined tightly in the brackets G, so as not to turn easily therein, and the legs B B are thus held and prevented from swinging open when turned down on the board.

To prevent the legs when extended from being opened too far, or fromspreading out when the board is in use and allowing the same to fall to the floor, the upper ends, b b, of the legs are made to pass through the shaft, so as to project beyond the latter, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. These ends b b enter and move in grooves b b', formed in the under side of the board, and which are of alength to permit the legs to be opened or extended as far as is desired. opened or extended, the ends b b will enter in these grooves b b', as shown in Fig. l, until. they strikeagainst the end of the grooves,when the further movement of the legs is arrested, and the latter cannot be moved or spread out by any accident, so as to allow the board to f'ctll; i Instead of the above arrangement for controlling the outward movement of the legs B B, the construction shown in Fig 7 may be used, consisting of the cleat or hatten H, placed behind the shaft E, and so arranged that when the legs are extended the edge or side of the Shaft will strike or rest against the cleat and prevent the legs from spreading out farther.

As will be evident, when the legs are IOO hinge; but I deem the method of fastening show'n in the drawings and described above the most preferable.

The brace D, extending from the board to the middle leg, C, is made double, so as to support the board on each edge or on both sides of the leg, as will be understood from Fig. 2. The middle of the brace, whereit connectswith the leg, rests and slidesin a groove or slot, 0,'

Fig. 1, in the latter. When the 'leg is folded against t-he board, as shownin Fig. 2, thebrace rests in the upper end of theslot. As theleg is opened or extended the brace is caused to slide in the slot until, when the leg is in the position it occupies when the board is in use, the brace rests in the lower end of the slot, as is seen in Fig. 1. As the leg is closed or folded the brace readily slides to the upper end of the slot, so as to lie close against the board when theleg is folded against the latter. The brace therefore is opened or closed with the leg` readily assuming the required position, either inthe upper end of the slot and against the board when the legis folded or in the lower end of the slot when the board is in use.

The several legs are all connected to the boardat or near the same end thereof, and to the under side of the board, so that the whole upper surface is free from anything that interferes with its use for ironing.

To hold the legs B B in their open or eX- tended position I employ an automatic latch or locking device so arranged as to hold and keep the end legs, B B, extended until it is desired to fold them. This locking device consists of the latch L, hinged in any suitable manner to the under side of the board, so as to drop or fall of its own weight when released, and the catch N, secured to the shaft E and arranged to move in a slot in the latch. The latch Lis hinged to the board back of the shafts E and F, and is so curved or shaped as to pass over the shaft F, connected with the leg C, and under the shaft E, to which the legs B B are connected, and thus, when released,

rests on the shaft F, by which it is prevented from dropping too far, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. In the lower end of the latch is formed an elongated slot or opening, M, constructed with large openings m m at each end, united by a narrow opening or slit, m', so as to leave on each side of the latter tongues or ribs m2 m2, as

will be understood from Fig. 2, and more fully from Fig. 6. The catch N is firmly secured in the shaft E, so as to move in the slot M, and in such a posit-ion that when the legs B B are turned down the catch will project downward, as shown in Fig. 1 and in Fig. 4. The catch is made j ust the width of the larger openings,m m, in the sl ot M, so it can pass or drop th rough these openings, and has a notch, n,on each side, near the outer end, so formed as to leave the width of the catch between the notches j ust the width l of the narrow opening m of the slot, so that the catch will slide through the opening m', and be prevented from dropping through the slot by the ribs m2 resting in the notches n. lVhen the legs B B are opened, the catch N slides in the slot M. the ribs m.2 entering the notchesn, and thusholding the latch up until, when the legs are extended as far as they will go, the catch is brought into the opening min the end of the latch. As the ribs m2, when the catch is in this position. have passed out of the notches n and the latch Lis no longer held up by the groove, it drops inthe position shown iniFig. 1 and Fig. 4. The edges m3 of the ribs m2 in the slot now rest against the ribs n on the catch and lock the legs or prevent them from being folded or closed. To release the legs it is only necessary to raise the latch L and clear the edges m3 from contact with the ribs n3, when the catch N will slide in the slot M and the legs B B may be folded against the board. rlhe opening min the inner end of the slot allows the catch N to pass out of the latch when thelegs B B are folded, as shown in Fig.

3, so as not to interfere with bringing the legs close under the board.

To enable the latch to be lifted automatically, so that the legsBB can be closed or folded, there is made on the lower side of the latch, and near its hinge, a projection, l, so arranged that when the leg C is folded or raised it will strike against this projection and lift up the latch. The latch is therefore raised when the leg is folded, and is thus made automatic in IOC both its operations, falling or opening by its own weight when released, and closed or raised by the leg C.

In all cases the legs B B must be in position before the latch can operate to lock them. The cross-bar B is curved, so as to rise at its center to bow over the leg C, and thus permits the legs B B, when all the legs are closed, to lie close against the undersurface of the board. In my ironing-board, therefore, the end legs are locked or held extended when the board is in use, and cannot be folded or turned under until the third or middle leg is raised or the latch is otherwise released. There is thus no danger of the legs being pushed under the board by accident, allowing the end of the board to fall, and as the third leg is always kept in position by its own weight the board can be drawn across the floor in any direction or lifted up and carried without disturbing the position of the legs,which are always held extended.l

To fold the board it is only necessary to fold or raise the third or middle leg first, when the latch is released and the end legs can be turned against the board. When itis desired to use the board, the end legs are extended or opened rst and the board placed in position IIS with the under side down, when the third leg drops to the oor, and at the same time the latch falls and secures or locks the end legs, and the board is ready for use.

My improved board is simple in construction and easy of operation, and may be readily opened or folded up, and is firmly supported when in use, and when folded occupies but little space.

What I claim as new isl. The combination, with the ironing-board A, of the legs B B, secured to the shaft E. and the leg C, secured to the shaft F on the under side of the board and at or toward one end thereof, so as to open and form supports for the board or fold up againstthe same, the shaft E being provided with projections b b, adapted to stop and control the extent of the opening of the legs B B, and the leg C being slotted and 'provided with a bent or double brace sliding therein, andv hinged' at itsends to thel under side of the board, substantially as Y and for the purposes set forth.

to the board, so as to drop by gravity, and constructed with a central elongated slot, M, and provided with the projection l, and the catch N, adapted to move in and engage with the slotted latch, all constructed substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

3. In an ironing-board, the automatic latch for locking the end legs when extended, consisting of the latch L, hinged to the board, so as to drop by gravity, and having the slot M formed With the openings m m, the narrow long opening m, and the ribs m2, in combination with the catch N, provided with the ribs n3 and notches n u', and adapted to move in and engage with the slotted latch, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

4. In an ironing-board, the automatic latch for locking the end legs when extended, consisting of the latch L, hinged to the board,

so as to drop by its own Weight, and pro-v vided with the elongated slot M, and the projection Z, -in combination with the catchy N, adapted to engage with th'e slot M, constructed substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

Dated this 7th day of December. 1885.

JOSEPH MATTHIAS. Witnesses:

.1). J. BoEHM,

F. L. GRoss. 

